


The Ones In Which

by Allie_el



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, M/M, Other, Ozpin (RWBY) Lives, Parent Qrow Branwen, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Piece of life shorts, Qrow Branwen Swears, Qrow and Ozpin are hopeless for each other, Shorts, cloqwork, ozcrow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-11-23 14:01:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20893256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allie_el/pseuds/Allie_el
Summary: The one in which the Branwen-Pine household is chaos, but home.Oneshots of our favorite family, summaries are posted with individual chapters.





	1. The One In Which Qrow Isn't Actually Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ozpin is no stranger to cleaning up Qrow's drunk messes, until Qrow is not drunk when he creates the mess.

Ozpin stared impassively at the crow in the cell. 

The crow stared back. Ozpin could have sworn it was smirking. 

“I’m sorry we had to bother you so late, Mr. Pine, but he was being entirely unreasonable. The only thing we could get from him was your name and then…” the officer waved her hand at the Corvid form with a wince. The crow blinked, once, twice, finally focused on Ozpin, then stood. 

And promptly fell over. 

Ozpin sighed and ran a hand down his face as the bird squawked indignantly and clumsily righted itself, wings splayed out haphazardly. “Am I correct in assuming you recurved the call from a bar?” He groaned, offering the officer a pained, apologetic wince. She nodded. 

“Yeah, the one on Sixth. Do you know him?” 

“Unfortunately,” Ozpin nodded, looking back at the crow with a frown as it stumbled back, flopping onto its tail feathers with its feet stuck out in front of it. “Unfortunately, that is my boyfriend.”

* * *

“You made a promise to the girls, Qrow.” 

_ “Caw.” _

“You could have received your six month coin next week, I know I don’t have to remind you of this.”

_ “Caw.” _’

“I understand you’re trying, and I’m incredibly proud of the progress you’ve made.”

_ “Caw.” _

“However, just because you own the bar, does not mean you can engage in drunken brawls on a whim. Why were you even drinking at work?”

_ “Caw.” _

“Did you forget Ruby and Oscar have parent-teacher conferences today?” 

_ “Caw.” _

“Of course you did. I can’t say I’m surprised.” 

_ “Caw!” _

“Well, there’s no need for that. Now would you _ politely _ loosen your grip? This is my favorite sweater and those talons are cutting circulation to my arm.”

_ “Caw.” _

“Gods, _ Qrow _, what are you - oh, for gods’ sake,” Ozpin would have liked to shake his head in exasperation, but with the drunk avian now perched in his hair he settled for a sigh so as not to dislodge the unstable creature. “Honestly, Qrow. I’m driving. Must you be so childish?” 

_ “Caw.” _

Typically, when Qrow informed him that he would be working late, Ozpin expected to wake up to an empty bed. Qrow very rarely came home when he was manning the bar late at night, and he refused to allow Yang to stay and work past an appropriate time. However, once eleven o’clock rolled around, and then midnight, then one in the morning, and Yang had yet to check in with Ozpin to assure him of her safe return to her dorm, he began to grow increasingly anxious. He had just finished dressing to go to the bar on Sixth himself when the call came, reporting a drunk shifter at the Vale Magical Impound was repeating his name as the only identifiable information. And there, low and behold, he had found his significant other. 

“You’re lucky Yang called the officers when she did. She is rather upset with you,” Ozpin glanced pointedly at his phone in the cupholder of the car, the screen lighting up with yet another notification from their drake charge with a heated temper to match her flames. “And I’m afraid I cannot say I feel the same.”

_ “Caw!” _

Ozpin sighed, deciding he was too tired to chastise the bird anymore. The headache Qrow would most undoubtedly wake up with would be punishment enough. Once the car was safely ensconced in the garage of their humble home, Ozpin carefully pulled Qrow from the nest he’d made of his hair to tuck him under an arm as he climbed the stairs into the house, quietly maneuvering through the halls to their bedroom to avoid waking the sleeping teenagers. He set Qrow on the middle of the bed and crossed his arms, arching a brow. “Now, would you please let me look at you?”

Qrow stared up at him, blinking a few times before lowering his head. With a flurry of feathers, the crow had shifted into a man. Qrow’s head was ducked, and he hunched over his crossed legs as his lanky arms wrapped around himself.

“Qrow,” Ozpin sighed and stepped forward, reaching to brush his fingers through Qrow’s hair. The lanky man leaned into the touch, relaxing minutely, before looking up at Ozpin. His eye was swollen almost shut and there was a harsh gash across his cheek and lip, and Ozpin didn’t quite manage to catch his startled gasp. “Gods, Qrow, look at you.” 

Qrow smirked, the action looking more like a wince than his typical roughish expression. “You should see the other guys, trust me.” 

Ozpin frowned, his hand freezing in Qrow’s hair. The other’s voice was perfectly clear, the words cut with irate irritation, not at all the slurring, rasping drawl Ozpin associated with Qrow’s drinking. His hand dropped to Qrow’s jaw, cupping it carefully. “You...you aren’t drunk at all, are you?”

Qrow sighed and his eyes dropped shut, his head tipping into Ozpin’s touch. “Nah. All I’ve had is water. I’m gonna get that six-month coin next week, after all.” He looked up at Ozpin apologetically. “Sorry they called you. I just...I dunno.” 

“You left Yang at the bar alone,” Ozpin frowned, his tone more inquisitive than accusing. Qrow had very strict rules about his underage niece working at his bar, and one of them was that he refused to leave her to run the establishment alone at any time. Qrow shook Ozpin off and pushed past him to stand, stumbling and steadying himself on the bedframe briefly before crossing the room to his dresser with ginger steps. 

“Yang’s a big girl. She knows how to kick out anyone who gives her a problem.” Qrow was steadily taking off his jewelry, not meeting Ozpin’s gaze in the mirror above him. He slowly slid off his jacket, letting out a soft hiss as his arms lifted away from his sides. 

Ozpin quickly crossed the room at the sound, gently prodding the shorter man to turn around with a soft murmur. “Let me see.” 

Qrow grumbled but complied, watching Ozpin as he was quickly divested of his shirt. Ozpin winced at the sight of Qrow’s chest, bruises blossoming in a myriad of green and purple and blue over his ribs. “Go sit down,” the wizard nudged him back towards the bed and followed, grabbing his cane from its spot leaning against the side table. 

Qrow lowered himself obediently, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding Ozpin’s gaze. He winced when his ribs snapped back into place with an audible crack and Ozpin murmured an apology, shifting the focus of his magic to knit the laceration on his face into a pale scar. 

“The bruising will have to stay, I’m afraid,” Ozpin sat next to Qrow, taking the shifter’s hand in his. “Medicinal magic isn’t exactly my specialty.” Just enough to heal the scraped knees and minor fractures that frequented the Branwen-Pine household. 

Qrow shrugged, dropping his gaze to watch their hands. “It’s fine. Thanks, Oz.” He sighed and tipped over to lay his head on Ozpin’s shoulder with a tired sigh. 

“So,” Ozpin hazarded and squeezed the fingers twisted within his. “What happened?”

Qrow was silent. 

Ozpin nudged him, and Qrow grumbled, turning his head to hide his eyes against Ozpin’s shoulder. “M’tired, Oz.” 

“And I’m worried,” Ozpin nudged him again, his other hand reaching around to brush back Qrow’s bangs. “Talk to me, please.” 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Qrow sighed and pulled away, standing to shuck his jeans off before crawling into the bed, pulling the covers over his shoulder as he pointedly laid with his back to Ozpin’s side. “I’m tired, Pine. Just drop it.” 

Ozpin shook his head and put his cane away before slowly undressing, pulling on his discarded pajamas from earlier. He slid in behind Qrow, pressing against his back and draping his arm over his waist. Qrow squirmed when the action pressed on his bruises, but didn’t move away. Ozpin murmured an apology with a kiss to the back of Qrow’s neck. “It was about me, wasn’t it?” 

The way Qrow stiffened under his arm was answer enough. 

Ozpin knew he had a reputation in this town. The quirky, queer headmaster of Beacon Academy who had his own agenda and constantly went around the council to play to his own whims. No one cared that his school had a brilliant graduation rate and his students were some of the brightest minds in the kingdom, no. 

Qrow was still for a few long moments before he hesitantly turned over to face Ozpin. His black eye made him look younger than his years, and Ozpin lightly traced his fingers over the edge of the bruise. “I told you about fighting my fights for me, Qrow.” 

Qrow shook his head. “It wasn’t your fight. They were...it was about us. I don’t think they knew who I was, but…” he sighed and dropped his eyes. “I know our family is a little..._ unconventional _, to say the least. But that doesn't give them the right to talk about us like that.”

“My dear Qrow,” Ozpin murmured, brushing Qrow’s hair back and tipping his chin up for a light kiss. “May the gods rue the day someone insults those you love.” 

“Damn straight,” Qrow finally smiled, a real smile, and Ozpin’s chest felt like a weight had been removed from his heart. 

“Darling, neither of us are straight.” 

“Damn gay, then.” 

“That’s better.”


	2. The One in which Ozpin Doesn't Have a Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on a true story and personal experience of a close friend of mine. TW for death, active shooter in a school, shock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE HEED TRIGGER WARNINGS

“Uncle Qrow! Yang is ruining my fort!” 

“You’re using _ my _pillows, you twerp!” 

“Uncle Qrow! Yang called me a twerp!” 

“Hey, _ ow _! Uncle Qrow! Ruby pinched me!”

“Yang! Uncle Qrow, Yang pinched me back!”

Qrow’s head hit the dining room table with a resounding _ smack _, sending bills and paperwork scattering. Oscar lifted his head from his homework, offering Qrow a wince. “Dad will be home soon, right?”

“Gods, kid, I hope so,” Qrow groaned and lifted his head, dropping his forehead into his hand instead. “How’s that math coming?” 

Oscar sighed, scowling down at his workbook. “Are you sure you can’t help?” 

“I’m positive, pipsqueak.” Qrow gestured to the mess on his side of the table. “I’ve got my own homework to do. 

“Dad would know how to do this,” Oscar muttered. Qrow sighed and nodded in agreement. After a moment, his head jerked up and he stared at Oscar with wide eyes. “Hey, do you hear that?” 

Oscar glanced up and shook his head. “Nothing, what is it?” 

“That’s the problem,” Qrow hissed and stood, narrowing his eyes towards the living room. “Nothing. It’s too quiet.” 

He rounded the corner to the living room, Oscar hot on his heels. He stopped at the sight that met him. Ruby was standing in the middle of her ruined blanket fort, pale as a sheet she had clutched to her chest. Yang was frozen as well, staring at the TV. Qrow felt his stomach drop. “Girls? What is it?” 

Yang jerked around to face him, her face stricken. Oscar pushed past Qrow to grab the TV remote and unmuted it. 

_ “At this time, the police have not released the name or footage of the shooter.” _

Qrow was frozen. 

_ “We do not yet know the extent of injuries suffered by the staff and students at Beacon High today, but so far there has been a casualty count of eight students and two faculty-” _

Qrow jerked into motion and snatched the remote from Oscar, shutting the screen off and scooping Ruby up in one smooth motion. “Okay, kids, it’s alright. Yang-”

Yang was green. Qrow didn’t think humans could actually _ be _that green. She turned wide eyes to Qrow. “E-eight...eight st-students, Qrow, that could-” 

Qrow didn’t let her finish before tugging her into a strong embrace. That number could have included her, had Qrow not excused her from her _ boring-as-balls life skills _ period. “I know, firecracker,” he murmured into her hair. Ruby clung to his neck, and from the corner of his eye he noticed Oscar anxiously pacing as he held his phone to his ear. His hands were shaking as he looked at Qrow with a stricken, fearful expression. “Qrow, D-dad’s not answering his phone.” 

..._ fuck. _

Qrow swallowed, staring at Oscar for a beat too long, clinging to his girls and thinking _ now would be the perfect time to wake up from this nightmare, thanks. _But of course, he was never that lucky. 

“Yang,” he swallowed and raked his fingers through Yang’s hair briefly before pushing her back half a step. “Yang, go call your friends. Make sure everyone’s okay, alright? Ruby-” he shifted Ruby to her feet and crouched in front of her, cupping her cheeks briefly before dropping his hands to her shoulders. Gods, he forgot at times just how little she was. Despite being in the same eight-grade class as Oscar and Weiss, she was still so much younger than them. Her big, glassy eyes reminded him of that now. “Ruby, you go get in my bed, alright? You and Oscar, yeah?” He glanced at the boy, waiting before Oscar steeled himself with a shaky nod before looking back to Ruby. “Go up to our room and hide, lock the doors, don’t let anyone in.” 

He stood up once she nodded and Oscar took her hand, tugging her towards the bedroom Qrow shared with Ozpin. Then he turned to Yang again, setting a hand on her shoulder before walking past her to pull on his boots by the front door. She frowned and stepped towards him, clutching her phone to her chest. “Wait, where are you going? You’re leaving us?”

Qrow shook his head as he pulled out his coat. “‘Course not. I’m going to find Oz.” 

Realization hit her, and the color that remained in her face quickly drained. Ozpin was still at work. Work was Beacon High. Two faculty were counted dead. Qrow shook his head and kissed her forehead. “Call Blake and Weiss, Jaune, everyone else, alright? Make sure they’re safe. I’ll bring Oz home, promise.” 

And with that, he left.

* * *

Ozpin knew what to do when there was an active shooter in the school. Every educational professional did. It was why they had drills, and conferences, and updated safety plans, and security officers patrolling the campus. Ozpin was a man of organized plans, and plans for plans, and plans for plans that failed. 

However, he had never expected that he would have to plan on being taken hostage. 

“Hazel, please. Think about what you are doing! These are _ children _ !” Children, his children, he had sworn to protect these children and they were _ falling in front of him oh gods, what had he done- _

He wasn’t sure how long he had been trapped in his office, hands bound and a gag shoved between his teeth once Hazel had tired of his pleas. Minutes, hours, days, it didn’t matter. His vision was fogged with exhaustion, terror, and tears by the time men and women in camouflage kicked in the door and swarmed around him. 

He was led to the ambulance in a daze. He vaguely registered the body-shaped lumps on the ground, covered with black sheets. The voices of reporters and officers and paramedics swarmed around him and _ the screaming, gods, please stop the screaming I can’t take it- _

Someone was asking him questions. A heavy weight had been draped over his shoulders. It was soft against his cheek, a blanket? Perhaps. Something was shoved into his hands. It was cold. Ozpin’s eyes landed on a discarded backpack on the asphalt a few feet away. It was red and gold and..._ oh...Pyrrha. _

His students. His children. They were dead. He had killed them. He had sat in his office while they’d been shot at, killed, trampled. He had brought this upon them. _ His plans had failed._

Someone was shaking his shoulder. Why were they here? Couldn’t they see this was his fault? 

_ “Oz!” _

No, why was he sitting here? He should be shoved into the back of a car with Hazel, try him for manslaughter as well. Those were his students. _ Please, Hazel, they’re just children… _

_ “Ozpin!” _

Ozpin stared at the backpack. Was that blood? A patch of red did not blend in with the rest. Had pyrrha tried to fight him? Oh, his brave, strong girl.

_ “Ozpin! Look at me!”_

* * *

Qrow stared at the paramedics, completely at a loss. They shook their heads. “He’s in shock,” they said. Yeah, well, Qrow was calling bullshit. They were all in shock. 

He crouched in front of Ozpin, cupping his cheeks. “Oz, please, I’m right here.” 

Ozpin stared over Qrow’s shoulder. Qrow tried to turn his head, angling to meet his gaze. “Ozpin, _ look at me _, it’s over. It’s done. You’re safe now, right?” 

Ozpin blinked, and finally - _ finally _\- his lips opened just enough to huff quietly. “Safe, hm? Weren’t we safe before?” 

Qrow’s heart shattered. 

Ozpin crumpled.

A tear slid down Ozpin’s cheek, and Qrow pulled him against his shoulder, cupping a hand around the back of his head as he cried.


	3. The One In Which Yang Screams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The roadtrip back to college.

“You’re being rude.” 

“I am not, fuck off. I’m just being me.” 

“As I said, you’re being rude. I do hope that’s water.” 

“Of fucking course it’s water, Oz. I’m not stupid.” 

“I never said you were.” 

“It was implied, dumbass.” 

“I’m sorry, I was under the impression that you rather liked my ass.” 

“Not when you’re being a dick, I don’t.” 

“Oh,  _ I’m _ the one being a dick? How very mature of you, my dear.” 

“You thought I’m actually big enough of a fucking idiot to drink while driving a fucking van of teenagers across the country! Who’s being mature now?” 

“You do understand that cussing excessively is a sign of insecurity and a lack of expressive vocabulary?” 

“Did you just call me stupid because I say fuck?” 

“Did you just answer my question with a question?” 

“You answered my question with a question and then I replied to your question with a question, which you also answered with another question so really, you’re the immature dick who started this shit!”

“Oh my god, would you two just  _ shut up? _ **” **

Qrow glanced in the rearview mirror, arching a brow at Yang. Her face was pillowed in her palms, and Blake silently set a calming hand on her girlfriend’s knee without looking up from her book. Yang groaned and lifted her head up, glaring back at her uncle through the mirror. “Seriously, guys. I asked you to drive us back to college because you promised me that you could be the  _ cool dads _ ! You’ve done nothing this entire trip but argue like an old married couple!”

“Well, considering we  _ are  _ married, and Ozpin is old as fuck - “ 

_ “I beg your pardon!” _

“Uncle Qrow said fuck!” 

“Ruby, stop being immature. You say fuck on a daily basis.”

“Oz, Weiss and Uncle Qrow said fuck!” 

Yang turned to Blake, muffling a scream in her shoulder. Blake patted her knee and flipped a page in her book. 


	4. The One In Which Qrow Is Jealous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not a secret that Ozpin's past is not an easy one...but the things that are kept secret could end up hurting everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna be truthful, this one did not turn out at all like I wanted it to, despite being the longest chapter yet. Oh well.

It wasn’t very often that Qrow visited Ozpin at work. He tried to respect the fact that Oz tried so damn hard to keep from bringing work home, even if it meant working late nights and early mornings. Qrow felt like he was breaching that unspoken line when he bothered Ozpin during the school day. 

Some days, however, there just wasn’t any other choice. 

Qrow knew it would be one of those days before Oz was even awake. At some point during the night, he woke up to wrap his arms around Ozpin’s trembling body, his shirt quickly soaking through from the other’s tears. He stroked Oz’s hair back, murmuring quiet reassurances once he woke from the nightmare, and tried not to feel rejected when the other man quickly rolled over and away from Qrow with the sheets pulled tightly around his shoulders. When their alarm went off hours later, Ozpin robotically sat up and silently slipped from the bed, not acknowledging the concerned call Qrow sent after him. Qrow was about to follow him into the bathroom, until the door was closed in his face and the sound of the lock turning made his stomach sink. 

Yeah, it was going to be one of  _ those _ days.

Qrow brushed it off. Ozpin got nightmares. They both did. It was nothing new. He changed shirts and walked downstairs to start the coffee and prepare Ozpin’s hot chocolate in his favorite mug, carrying it back to the room and setting it on the dresser where his boyfriend was sure to find it. 

By the time Ozpin walked downstairs an hour later, Qrow had fed the three kids, helped Oscar finish the last of his homework for the day, and was working on wrangling Ruby’s hair into half-way passable pigtails. He glanced up hopefully, but his default smirk faded quickly when he registered Ozpin’s empty eyes and emptier hands. Ozpin said nothing, once again not acknowledging Qrow, instead skirting around him to kiss Ruby’s cheek and smooth down Oscar’s hair before disappearing like a ghost, leaving through the front door just as silently as he’d slipped from bed. 

Qrow stared after him until he heard the car leaving, then shook his head and quickly finished braiding Ruby’s hair. ”Yang, Ruby, why don’t you two stay at your dad’s tonight?”

Yang was already nodding, her thumbs flying over her phone. “Yeah, I already asked. He said Oscar can come too.” 

Thank the gods for Taiyang Xiao Long. 

Qrow somehow managed to coordinate getting each of the kids packed up for the impromptu overnight trip before sending Yang off on her motorcycle to follow Ozpin to Beacon High and sticking Ruby and Oscar on the bus for Beacon Junior High. He texted Tai himself to confirm that he would pick up the younger two kids before braving the walk back upstairs. 

Qrow ignored the cold mug on the dresser, still full of hot chocolate, as he showered and dressed. It didn’t matter, Ozpin had mornings like this sometimes. Depression was a bitch, and nightmares loved to antagonize that bitch. It just meant Qrow had to pull out a few special measures to ensure Ozpin was able to manage the rest of the day alright until it was a reasonable enough hour for Qrow to pull his idiot back to bed. 

The first measure was cleaning the bedroom and living room, the two places Ozpin tended to haunt when he was stuck in his own head, and ensuring the kitchen was well-stocked with hot chocolate and enough sugar-based food to feed an army of Rub food. Then he sat down and wrote out instructions for Yang, mainly what homework Ruby and Oscar had due the next day and what the blonde needed to do to ensure their bar would run smoothly without him tonight. Not that his perfectly capable niece needed the reminders, but it helped Qrow feel like he wasn’t just abandoning his girls. 

Then, once the house and the kids were in order, Qrow was ready to initiate phase two of this well-practiced plan. 

Qrow was not a  _ cafe  _ kinda guy. Give him a bar and a glass of whiskey over fancy coffee any day. However, Vale Coffee And Patisserie was special, because Oz liked it. It had been where Oz had taken him for their first date. It was were he’d first kissed Oz. It was the place Oz had asked him to move in with him. It was special, because each corner held memories of  _ them. _

And they also made killer donuts. 

It wasn’t very far of a walk to the high school from there. Bag of donuts in one hand and a steaming cup of (decaf) Irish cream coffee in the other, Qrow walked through the front door of the school and into the offices. The secretary knew him well enough, even though Qrow could never remember her name, and she opened the door for him with a knowing smile. 

Qrow had an entire speech ready to appease Ozpin if the Headmaster was upset about Qrow unexpectedly showing up like this, and Qrow was ready. However, all that flew out the door when he heard...laughter. 

What the hell?

Qrow heisted outside Ozpin’s office, listening. That was definitely his boyfriend’s laughter, and underneath that was a deep voice that Qrow didn’t recognize. It wasn’t that Qrow wasn’t happy that Oz had apparently been pulled out of his depressive funk already, not at all. But how... _ who _ had managed to do it? Sometimes it took Qrow days to break through Ozpin’s carefully guarded walls. He swallowed and hesitated, before knocking quietly and pushing the door open. 

James  _ fucking _ Ironwood.  _ Of fucking course _ . 

Ozpin’s laughter stopped abruptly and he blinked at Qrow, perched awkwardly in the doorway like a bird in a too-small tree. James has his feet thrown on Oz’s desk, much in a similar manner to the way Qrow himself did when he sat in those chairs. Qrow narrowed his eyes at the larger man, sizing him up and pulling a smartass comment to the tip of his tongue to shoot at him until...until. 

Until his gaze landed on the  _ Vale Coffee and Patisserie  _ cup in the General’s hand. Qrow blinked. And there, sitting in front of Ozpin, was a similar cup. And next to Ozpin’s hand was a paper pastry bag, and in Ozpin’s hand, was a half-eaten chocolate donut. That  _ bastard. _

“Qrow?” Ozpin set his donut down, his face slipping into a frown. “Qrow, what are you doing here?” 

Qrow blinked at Ozpin, once. Then looked at the donut. Then looked at James, and that made him scowl. And ugly feeling twisted in his chest. Qrow pushed the door the rest of the way open and crossed the room in long strides, dropping the identical cup of coffee and bag of pastries next to the ones already littering Ozpin’s desk. “You didn’t eat breakfast,” was all the explanation he offered before turning and stalking from the room, ignoring Oz’s calls in a reversal of that morning. 

* * *

Aside from his girls, Qrow’s bar was his pride and joy. It had once been a sushi bar, until a gas fire burned out the kitchen and Qrow had been able to buy the space for literal pennies. He and Yang had worked on it together, clearing out the debris from the fire and renovating the entire place themselves, and three years later they had a steady business that Qrow was hoping Yang could take over after college. 

However, owning a bar also had its downfalls for a recovering alcoholic. 

It wasn’t until Qrow was pouring himself a drink that he really realized where he was, and he stared down into the amber liquid with his heart thumping. He wears so close to being able to celebrate a year sober. Ruby had even started planning a cake and from what he could draw from her whispered giggles with Ozpin, there was a surprise party in the works. 

He couldn’t let fucking  _ James Ironwood  _ take that from him. 

He sighed and slowly put away the bottle, cleaning out his tumbler and pouring a glass of water instead. Even if he wasn’t going to drink, there was something therapeutic about sitting at a bar with a bowl of peanuts and a glass in his hands. 

He had known for years about Ozpin’s history with Ironwood. They had been happy, until James decided he was too busy with his growing career in the Atlesian Military to give Oz the time of day. 

And thus Qrow has spent years reassuring Ozpin’s nightmares of being abandoned, and the soothing the anxiety that he would wake up one morning and find that Qrow had packed up and left without a word. 

He had thought that James Ironwood was out of their lives for good, by now. Oz had been happier, steady in his trust that Qrow was here to stay, and for almost a year now their little family had been thriving. 

So why the hell was James Ironwood in Ozpin’s office? 

Why the hell had he bought Oz coffee from  _ their _ place? 

And what the  _ actual fucking hell _ was he doing to make Oz laugh like that? 

Qrow eyed the bottle of whiskey he’d put away earlier. Damn him, but a drink sounded really fucking good right now. 

Qrow waited around the bar until its first patrons started to trickle in and the night was growing lively. He skillfully avoided Yang’s questions and ensured she was set for the night before leaving, slowly making his way home. He didn’t really feel like facing Oz right now, but he hated to even consider what the fallout would be if he didn’t go back to his boyfriend. 

_ Fuck  _ James Ironwood. 

The house was dark when Qrow drove up, except for a single light from the kitchen. It was late enough that the street was quiet, all of their neighbors in bed or working late. Qrow tried to be quiet as he entered, so there was no hiding the muffled gasp from the kitchen when he locked the door behind him. 

_ Dammit, of course he’s still up. _

Qrow took his time pulling shoes off and hanging up his jacket, until he couldn’t linger in the entryway any longer. He slowly walked into the ring of light hanging over the kitchen island, his lips pursing when he realized he could almost see the stress in Ozpin’s shoulders. 

Neither of them said a word to each other. The tension in the kitchen could have been cut like jell-o. Ozpin sat with both hands curled around his favorite mug, but no steam rose from it. He’d been sitting there for a while, then, and from what Qrow could tell he hadn’t touched his hot chocolate. Qrow skirted around him to the cabinet, taking out his own mug and reheating the coffee from that morning. He carefully extracted Oz’s full mug from his hands and reheated that as well, dropping fresh marshmallows in the chocolate before handing it back. When he couldn’t find anything else to keep his attention from the elephant in the room, he slowly sat on the stool across from the other man. 

It was quiet for a long minute. They both stared at their drinks, until Ozpin finally shifted. “You...you came back.” 

Qrow looked up, frowning at the rasp in Oz’s voice. “Oz, of course I did. Just because I’m a little pissed doesn’t mean I’m going to leave, you know that.” 

Ozpin trembled, his head ducking so his platinum hair fell over his eyes. “I-I’m sorry.” 

“Sorry for what?” Qrow murmured, resisting the urge to leap over the divide between them and pull the other man into his arms. “Oz, I’m not pissed at  _ you, _ okay? Just...just tell me what happened.” 

Ozpin fell silent again. Qrow waited, resisting the urge to just brush it all away and pull him to bed already. He needed to be patient with this. He slowly sipped at his coffee, waiting until Oz lifted his head slightly and slowly started his answer. 

“I...have been...conversing with James. It was just a few texts a month, at first. Then they increased. And a few weeks ago...h-he called me. Said he would be coming through Vale and wanted to...get together.”

Qrow listened, watching the grain of the countertop beneath Ozpin’s mug. Ozpin glanced up quickly, then dropped his gaze. Qrow’s hands tightened around his mug. “ _ Get together,  _ huh? And how many times have you two  _ gotten together _ ?” 

Ozpin flinched. “Qrow, it...it isn’t like that. We’re just friends, I swear.” 

Qrow dropped his mug, staring at Ozpin incredulously. “Yeah,  _ I  _ know that, Oz. I trust you, alright? But does fucking  _ James  _ know that?” He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. “Oz, look. I don’t give a fuck who you text, okay? I  _ trust _ you, and I know if you don’t want to tell me something, you usually have a pretty good reason. But I don’t trust Ironwood. Not after what he did.” 

Ozpin seemed to shrink in on himself. Qrow sighed and pushed their mugs out of the way to reach over for his hands, twisting their fingers together and squeezing. “Oz, you’re a martyr in every sense of the word. And as much as it stresses me out, I would never ask you to change who you are, right?” He swallowed, tugging on Ozpin’s hands when his love still refused to look at him. “But this -  _ this _ is something I’m going to put my foot down on. You don’t get to sacrifice yourself for Ironwood’s feelings. He hurt you once, and I won’t let you put yourself in the way of that again.” 

Ozpin slowly -  _ finally  _ \- looked up, and Qrow frowned worriedly at the red-rimmed eyes behind his glasses. Oz swallowed, his grip slowly tightening around Qrow’s hands. “Qrow, I…I’m sorry-”

“Don’t,” Qrow interrupted him. “Don’t be sorry for that, Oz. Be sorry that you’re too dense to see what James is doing. Texting, calling, making time to visit, bringing you shit from  _ our place _ ?” Qrow shook his head, feeling that ugly feeling from before resurfacing. “He doesn’t get to play that game with you, Ozpin. You don’t need him anymore, he made his choice to let go of you.” He smirked and squeezed the hands in his. “His loss, you’re mine now. And I plan on putting up one hell of a fight before I let you go.” 

Ozpin’s lips quirked in a barely-there half smile as a blush creeped over his cheeks. Qrow could have leaped for joy at the sight, but he settled for standing and circling around the island to pull Oz into a tight hug. Ozpin returned it eagerly, pressing his face into Qrow’s shoulder. “I’m still sorry,” he murmured, and Qrow huffed, pulling back slightly. 

“Okay, seriously. Stop.  _ This  _ is what I was talking about. You don’t gotta be sorry, alright?” Qrow sighed, running his hand through Ozpin’s hair and brushing it away from his face. “Don’t let him do this to you, love.” 

Ozpin nodded, leaning into the touch as his eyes fluttered shut. Qrow found his hand again and tugged him towards the stairs. “Come on, you barely slept last night. Let’s get you in bed.” 

“The mugs-” Ozpin started, trying to turn around, but Qrow yanked him back with a smirk. “Oz, the kids are gone. The house is empty.” His eyebrows waggled as the blush dusting Ozpin’s cheeks deepened. 

“Well, I suppose we can’t waste such an opportunity, can we?” 


	5. The One In Which Qrow Brings the Girls Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tai isn't doing well after losing Summer, and Qrow brings Yang and Ruby home to live with him. He just has to check with his boyfriend first.

“Oz, look. As much as I wish I was just calling because I’m  _ that _ good of a boyfriend, I need to talk to you about something.” 

Ozpin hummed, his phone wedged between his shoulder and ear as he worked his fingers through the suds in Oscar’s hair. “Oh? So you mean to say you did not truly miss my charming voice as much as you led me to believe? I’m hurt, darling.” 

“God, no, Oz. Of course I miss you. Your voice, your face, fuck, your damn stupid hair. Everything. But something’s come up.” 

“I’m kidding, Qrow,” Ozpin laughed quietly, wincing away when Oscar’s rubber duck forcefully attacked the toy boat floating between the boy’s legs and sprayed the front of his shirt. “Oscar, what have I told you about splashing?” 

“Sorry Papa,” Oscar giggled, and made grabby hands for the phone. “Wanna talk to Dad too!”

Ozpin sighed and rinsed one hand off to pull the phone away from his ear. He set it to speaker and held it out of Oscar’s wet reach, but close enough for Qrow to hear him. “Alright, then. Say hi.” 

“Dad!” Oscar turned onto his knees and leaned over the edge of the tub, all but yelling into the speaker. “Dad! Papa didn’ lemme have cookies! An’ I ate all offa carrots and greenies an’ ev’rything!”

Ozpin spluttered as Qrow’s laughter rang through the phone. “Did you want to talk to Qrow just to tattle on me, young man?” 

Qrow snickered. “That’s my boy. Play the system. I’ll bring home so many cookies you won’t know what to do with them, alright? But you gotta be good for your pops.” 

Oscar grumbled as he flopped back into the tub, but was quickly mollified when Ozpin distracted him with his forgotten toys. “Qrow Branwen, please do not encourage his sweet tooth. I have a hard enough time getting him to eat his dinner as it is.” 

“He gets it honestly from his papa, babe,” Qrow laughed. “Okay, but seriously. It’s about the girls.” 

Ozpin sighed and started to drain the tub, giving Oscar instructions to dry off and brush his teeth before walking out of the bathroom. He took the phone off speaker as he settled on the couch. “What about the girls, Qrow? Is everything okay?”

Qrow was quiet for a few moments, and an anxious knot twisted in Ozpin’s chest. “I...I don’t know, Oz. It’s Tai. He’s...well, you know. Losing Summer was hard on all of us but I have you and Raven has the Tribe and...he doesn’t really have anyone.” 

Ozpin hummed, tucking his knees under himself. He had thought they might be having a conversation along these lines when Qrow abruptly announced that he was going to visit his nieces after Yang had called and Qrow locked himself in the bedroom for a good two hours.. “I can only imagine what he’s going through, darling. Salem isn’t...deceased, per say…” he swallowed and instantly regretted bringing her up, especially on a night when Qrow wouldn’t be in bed with him. Hello, nightmares. “But losing her and being left with Oscar was certainly a hardship I do not believe I would have come through whole if you had not been there.” 

“Oz,” Qrow murmured, and sighed a few seconds later. “But at least you were taking care of Oscar.” 

Ozpin’s breath caught. “Wait, you mean...the girls?” 

“They’re alright, physically,” Qrow was quick to assure him. “Yang is a tough cookie, you know that. She’s keeping them together. But she’s only eight, Oz. She’s just as much a baby as Ruby. And they’re  _ my  _ babies. And...and I can’t let her be responsible for this. It’s not fair.” 

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair for Tai to lose two lovers, it wasn’t fair that Ruby would never know her mother. It wasn’t fair that Yang was responsible for the livelihood of her father and sister when the girl hardly knew how to care for herself yet. 

“You’re right,” Ozpin frowned. “It isn’t fair. What are you going to do about it?”

“I’m bringing them home with me.” Qrow announced, his voice decisive and hard as if he believed Ozpin might argue with him. 

And the thing was, Ozpin knew if he truly disagreed, Qrow would leave the girls in Patch and come home to him and Oscar and their quiet home in Vale and never speak of it again. Except to perhaps call the girls morning, evening and night to ensure they were alright. Or possibly he would move out and live with the girls on the other side of town and then...then Ozpin didn’t think he could manage that. 

Which was exactly why Ozpin wasn’t going to disagree. It wasn’t as if having the girls move in with them was any kind of hardship, anyway.

“Alright.”

“See, Oz, I’ve thought ab- wait, what?”

“Alright, Qrow. Bring them home with you. I’ll take the boxes in the spare bedroom to storage in the morning.”

“You’re serious.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Of course I am. If you believe they will be happier here, then bring them home. Oscar will enjoy the company.”

“Oz, I…” 

“I know. Having some time to just worry about himself might do Taiyang some good.” Ozpin sighed. “The girls can stay with us as long as they need to, darling.”

“That...that might be a pretty long time, Oz.” 

“Alright,” Ozpin repeated, tamping down his fond smile. Qrow’s loyalty wasn’t the main reason he fell in love with this man, but it was definitely high on the list. “As long as they...as long as  _ you _ need, Qrow, they’ll have a home here. ”

“Thank you,” Qrow breathed out, relief flooding with the words. “Thank you, Oz. You don’t know--” Ozpin could hear the rustling of fabric, likely Qrow dragging his sleeve over his face. “I’ll be home tomorrow. Apparently Yang packed for both of them as soon as she knew I was coming.” 

Oh, and there went Ozpin’s heart, shattering out of his chest and onto the floor. Tai was a good father, he truly was. But things like this...well, Ozpin might have been able to  _ take care of _ Oscar after they escaped Salem, but neither of them truly had been cared for until Qrow had found them. 

“Oscar and I will wait for you three for dinner, then.” 

“God, Oz, I love you.” 

Ozpin smiled and hung up. Qrow knows he is loved in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this one really made me want to explore Ozpin's relationship with Salem and and how he escaped it to find Qrow in this little AU I'm building. It'll probably be pretty dark, so if anyone is definitely interested let me know or I'll probably put it off for a bit.


	6. The One In Which There Is A Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Qrow's birthday, but he's less than enthusiastic about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was requested by coffee-queen448 on my Tumblr clockworkcentrafics. Go there to send me prompts and requests!

It was an unspoken agreement in the Branwen-Pine household that no one, under any circumstances, may wake up Qrow at any time on a Saturday, unless previously arranged. 

Qrow was typically up to the earliest hours of the morning on Friday nights, frequently staying well past the last patron had left the bar to clean up the subsequent mess they had left behind. Because of this, there were many nights when Ozpin was woken at five in the morning on a Saturday by his boyfriend crawling into bed and curling close, dead to the world within minutes. 

And may the gods help anyone who woke Qrow Branwen before he was ready to be woken. 

“But Oz, it’s his birthday! We  _ have _ to celebrate!” 

Ozpin arched a brow, arms crossed steadfastly in front of his chest as he stood guard to the door of his bedroom, behind which his partner was snoring quietly. “Ruby, where on earth did you get that cake from?” 

“We made it!” Ruby beamed and thrust the cake up for inspection. Ozpin stared, unamused as a bright red dollop of icing dribbled off the side and landed on the carpet with a quiet  _ splat _ .

“Ruby, dear, can’t we wait until this afternoon to celebrate?” Ozpin resisted the urge to sigh. He could feel a headache building, and the best cure for that was to crawl back into his warm bed and curl into Qrow’s arms.

Ruby pouted. “But it’s his birth _ day,  _ Oz. We’re supposed to celebrate all  _ day!  _ What’s the point of a birth _ day _ if we only celebrate in the afternoon!” 

“The point, you little brat, is getting some goddamn sleep.” 

Ozpin hadn’t heard the door open behind him, and he spun around at the raspy drawl. “Oh, Qrow! I’m so sorry, did we-”

_ “Happy birthday Uncle Qrow!” _ Ozpin stumbled out of the way as a red and black blur shoved past him to attach itself to Qrow’s leg, hugging it tightly. 

Ozpin stared at dropped cake staining his carpet with despair. 

Qrow groaned and lifted Ruby into his arms, submitting himself to her enthusiastic embrace. Ozpin guiltily met his gaze. Qrow stared back, still blinking sleep out of his eyes. “Yeah, whatever. Happy fucking birthday to me. I’m another year closer to death. Can I go back to bed now?” 

Ruby huffed and wriggled out of his arms, leaping over the splattered cake in the hallway and racing down the stairs. “No! We made pancakes!” 

Qrow groaned again and pitched forward, hiding his eyes in Ozpin’s shoulder. “I can’t do this, Oz. Save me.” 

Ozpin chuckled and combed back the wild bedhead, pressing a kiss into it. “I do believe they wouldn’t mind if you were absent for a few more hours, darling.” 

Qrow was silent. A few seconds later a muffled snore sounded against Ozpin’s shoulder. 

Ozpin sighed and carefully scooped Qrow into his arms to carry him back into the bed, ensuring the bedroom door was closed and locked behind them. He pressed another kiss into the feathery hair and pulled the blankets over them, returning to the warm, quiet world they had been in before a certain red menace had started pounding on their door. 

He delightfully ignored the sounds of pots and pans clattering loudly in the kitchen. 

“Happy birthday, my dear Qrow.”


	7. The One In Which There Is Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into Ozpin's past relationship with Salem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please heed tags! This one is kinda dark, guys. I've already started a chapter fic in this general AU that will expand on Oz's escape from Salem but...it's dark. Salem is a bitch.

Ozpin thought it was so absolutely cliche for it to be raining tonight. 

It wasn’t even a good, true rain, to be honest. Spotty and erratic, slowly starting and stopping like it couldn’t make up its mind.

Pitiful. 

The cushions dipped as a small body crawled onto the couch with him, and Ozpin absently lifted his mug out of the way as Oscar wriggled into his lap. 

They sat silently together, watching the rain as Yang and Ruby’s video game provided familiar background noise. Oscar leaned into his chest, careful to keep from disturbing Ozpin’s mug. 

“Do you miss her?” The boy murmured after a few long minutes of silence. 

Ozpin knew who he meant. Oscar hadn’t been any older than three when he had been suddenly bundled out of his warm bed and escaped into the rain with his father. It had been dark and cold and raining that night, too. 

Ozpin hated being cold. 

“I don’t know,” he sighed, in answer to Oscar’s innocent question. Did he miss Salem? He missed the woman she had been when he married her, definitely. 

She had been wonderful when they were dating, and the year after their marriage had been one of the best of his life. But then she changed. 

He did not miss the yelling (or being yelled at, usually), or the threats to hurt or send Oscar away. He did not miss the way Salem would shove him onto the bed when he was already exhausted from working, aggravating his sore hip and hurting him as she had her way. (After his first time with Qrow, he did not realize his hip hadn’t bothered him once until they were laying in bed together. He had made a mental note to ask his doctor about that, and promptly forgot it when Qrow rolled over to kiss him again.) 

He did not miss the way he would surrender his phone nightly to allow her to search his emails and correspondences. He did not miss the way he would wake up to find the car already gone, and having to walk to work in the cold with his hip threatening to crumple beneath him. (Sometimes, if he timed it right, he would pass by Glynda’s house as she was preparing to leave and could accept a ride with her.)

He did not miss having to spend hours at night with Youtube, trying to perfect applying concealer before Oscar woke up. 

Ozpin was shaken from the dark trail of memories his mind was supplying as Qrow’s motorcycle roared into the driveway. He could hear the garage open and close, and Ruby and Yang stopped their game to intercept their uncle in the kitchen with loud stories from their day. 

(Oscar smiled to himself when the tension leaked from his papa’s body at the sound of his dad’s raspy laughter.)

Ozpin looked up when Qrow walked into the living room, the light from the fireplace glinting warmly off his skin and the stubborn wetness clinging to his hair. His boyfriend’s face flashed through many different emotions before settling on it’s usual smirk. 

Gods, Ozpin had missed that smirk. 

“Hi,” Ozpin murmured as Qrow leaned down for a kiss, wrinkling his nose as rain landed on his forehead. “You’re wet.” 

“I am,” Qrow laughed quietly, kissing him again. Oscar complained, but apparently he didn’t find the action gross enough to move from his spot. “Missed you.” 

“Oh?” Ozpin arched a brow, reaching up to flick a droplet from Qrow’s ear. “Did you now?”

Qrow grinned and caught Ozpin’s hand, pulling it up to kiss his palm (and causing Ozpin to flush pink). “”Course I did. Waited all night to come home and kiss you.” 

No, Ozpin didn’t miss Salem. Qrow loved him, he didn’t need anything else. 

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on my Tumblr: cloqworkcentralfics


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